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Garmin hit by massive ransomware attack

July 24, 2020  - By

Fitness wearables disconnected for one day and counting

Garmin fitness devices have been disconnected for nearly a day after the company suffered a major outage, reports the Verge.

The outage may be caused by a ransomware attack. The outage was first reported by Garmin July 23. It affects Garmin wearables, apps and call centers, which has made customer support impossible.

The message on the Garmin Connect website reads, “We’re sorry. We are currently experiencing an outage that affects Garmin.com and Garmin Connect. This outage also affects our call centers, and we are currently unable to receive any calls, emails or online chats. We are working to resolve this issue as quickly as possible and apologize for this inconvenience.”

Garmin Connect allows customers to obsessively track their exercise performance and fitness goals. FlyGarmin, the navigation service that supports Garmin’s aviation devices, has also been down affecting some pilots, reports ZDNET.

The ransomware attack has encrypted Garmin’s internal network and some production systems, according to ZDNET. The company is planning a multi-day maintenance window to deal with the attack’s aftermath, which includes shutting down its official website, Garmin Connect, FlyGarmin, and even some production lines in Asia.

Screenshot: Garmin website

Screenshot: Garmin website

About the Author: Tracy Cozzens

Senior Editor Tracy Cozzens joined GPS World magazine in 2006. She also is editor of GPS World’s newsletters and the sister website Geospatial Solutions. She has worked in government, for non-profits, and in corporate communications, editing a variety of publications for audiences ranging from federal government contractors to teachers.